The president also warned local officials that they could be held criminally liable for the neglect.

The president is now waiting for Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu’s recommendations before taking any further action, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a press briefing yesterday (Monday, February 26).

He also said the local government had been monitoring White Beach, and found its water quality had not yet reached “an alarming level”.

“The past [local government] administration was planning to get a loan to build a sewerage treatment facility. When I assumed office I didn’t want to borrow money so we instead solicited funds from the national government,” he said.

Last year, the Department of Public Works and Highways allocated 100 million pesos to build a sewerage treatment facility in Sabang Bay.

Construction of the facility will begin in March, Mayor Ilagan said. “That’s why I’m not worried about the crackdown, because we consider this problem already addressed,” he added.